Variable volume fan won't shut off

asked 2021-05-26 22:57:51 -0600

jbatt

1151 ●2 ●12 https://www.linkedin.c...

updated 2021-06-01 09:47:32 -0600

__AmirRoth__

4446 ●5 ●17 http://bleedinggreenna...

I am modeling a heating only unit, in OpenStudio, and am having trouble getting the fan to shut off when zone heating setpoint is met. Even through summer, the fan runs at a low, constant speed. Fan power minimum flow fraction and rate are both set to 0 and the fan availability manager is set to always on discrete (Am I correct in thinking that these inputs shouldn't matter though? e.g. if there is no need for heating, the fan should shut off rather than just ramp down to minimum speed).

Is there any basic controls troubleshooting or input that can be used to ensure fans shutoff when there is no demand for space conditioning (or ventilation)?

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I found this, which might be helpful. https://bigladdersoftware.com/epx/doc...

"The actual action of turning on or off a loop is taken by the loop prime movers: fans for AirLoopHVACs... For instance when a fan is deciding whether it is on or off, it checks its on/off schedule and whether the loop availability status flag is CycleOn or ForceOff. If the schedule is on and the status flag is ForceOff, the fan will be off. If the fan schedule says off and the status flag is CycleOn, the fan will be on."

sashadf1 ( 2021-05-27 08:07:54 -0600 )edit

I would try to force the loop availability status flag to be ForceOff, so that even if the fan schedule is on (i.e. non-zero for that timestep), the fan will be off.

sashadf1 ( 2021-05-27 08:09:21 -0600 )edit

Look at AvailabilityManager:ScheduledOff object: "If the current schedule value is = 0.0, the availability status flag is set to ForceOff; otherwise it is set to NoAction."

sashadf1 ( 2021-05-27 08:11:40 -0600 )edit

What object are you using? Is this set up as an airloop, or zone equipment?

codybond ( 2021-05-27 09:14:24 -0600 )edit

I'm using the fan Fan:VariableVolume object as part of an HVAC loop. The loop includes a heating coil and VAVs serving heating-only zones. I don't want to schedule/force the fan off, I simply want it to shut off when there is no demand from the zone (i.e. no need to deliver flow). Let me know if I should provide more info.

jbatt ( 2021-05-27 12:46:21 -0600 )edit

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No OA requirement or occupants in these zones. I thought maybe terminal unit min flow fraction was the answer, but when I changed these from the default 0.3 to 0, it zeroed my fan flow for the entire year. I don't fully understand this input now - from the name I'd have thought it established a lower bound for flow, but it seems to function as a flow setpoint (?)

jbatt ( 2021-05-27 13:34:56 -0600 )edit

Got it. The flow is based on demand, and therefore zone temperature vs thermostat setpoint. So you may want to take a look at those. If the zone temperature is at or above your thermostat setpoint (or heating setpoint if you're using a ThermostatSetpoint:DualSetpoint) then the fan won't run.

Alternatively, another option might be to move the heating unit to the zones, like with the ZoneHVAC:UnitHeater option.

codybond ( 2021-05-27 14:58:33 -0600 )edit

The nature of this problem is that, in this case, flow (and thus fan operation) seems to be entirely decoupled from demand based on zone temperature relative to setpoint. Initially, the fan was running (at some min. speed) through summer even though zone temperature was well above the heating setpoint. Once I dropped the AirTerminal:SingleDuct:VAV:NoReheat Constant Minimum Air Flow Fraction from the 0.3 default to 0, my airflow and fan operation dropped to 0 for the entire year - even at times when zone temperature was well under setpoint.

I'm using a constant SAT setpoint.

jbatt ( 2021-05-27 15:08:13 -0600 )edit

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Variable volume fan won't shut off